Bobbin support for textile spindle assembly

ABSTRACT

In a bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly, a pair of superposed annular members encircle the spindle blade and are connected to it for positional adjustment in an axial direction by connections of the spline and screw-thread types, respectively. Precise axial adjustment of the elevation of the annular members and of a bobbin mounted upon the spindle blade is made possible, and a nonslip driving connection between the blade and bobbin is provided.

United States Patent lnventor John D. Page Clemson, SC.

Sept. 2, 1969 May 4, 1971 Maremount Corporation Chicago, Ill.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee BOBBIN SUPPORT FOR TEXTILE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 57/129, 242/35 Int. Cl D01h 7/16, D0111 7/08 Field of Search 57/88, 129,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,912,815 11/1959 Feather 57/129X 3,076,305 2/ l 963 Meisser l 57/ l 29 3,166,883 l/l965 Meadows 57/130X 3,302,384 2/1967 Smith et al 57/130 FOREIGN PATENTS 673,719 3/1939 Germany 57/129 Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-Donald H. Feldman ABSTRACT: In a bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly, a pair of superposed annular members encircle the spindle blade and are connected to it for positional adjustment in an axial direction by connections of the spline and screwthread types, respectively. Precise axial adjustment of the elevation of the annular members and of a bobbin mounted upon the spindle blade is made possible, and a nonslip driving connection between the blade and bobbin is provided.

PATENTEU MAY 4:971

INVENTOR JOHN D. PAGE BY: M MM,

HIS AGENT BOBBIN SUPPORT FOR TEXTILE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to textile spindle assemblies, such as are employed on textile-spinning or -twisting machines, of the type wherein a bobbin mounted upon the upright blade component of each assembly is supported and/or driven at its lower end by a support there carried by and rotatable with the spindle blade.

Optimum operation of spinning or twisting machines requires that the bobbins mounted upon their spindle assemblies be at approximately the same elevation. This can be achieved with certain types of spindle assemblies by individually adjusting the overall elevation of each spindle blade, and thus the bobbin support and other components carried by it, relative to its supportive housing and the machines spindle rail mounting such housings. With other types of spindle assemblies, however, bobbin height adjustments cannot readily be achieved in this manner. In a spindle assembly including an electromagnetic clutch-brake mechanism such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,670, the axial adjustment of the blade relative to the supportive housing component of the assembly will change the critical spacing between certain elements of the clutch-brake mechanism and therefore such adjustment cannot conveniently be utilized to achieve a desired bobbin elevation. It has also been proposed to provide a bobbin support itself adjustable axially of and relative to the spindle blade upon which it is carried. Such adjustable bobbin supports, however, have not been found to be entirely satisfactory. With some prior constructions the desired adjustment is difficult, very time consuming and requiring special tools to make, and/or due to a binding or wedging of the adjustable components during previous use of the assembly. Other known bobbin supports, such as those employing removable inserts or spacers, possess such limited adjustment capabilities that needed precise adjustment of bobbin height cannot be achieved. Slippage between elements of the adjusted support and the spindle blade has also occurred in certain known constructions, resulting in loss of the desired precise adjustment and/or in an undesirable variation in the torque transmitted through the support between the spindle blade and the bobbin mounted thereon. The slippage problem is particularly acute with a spindle assembly such as was disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,670, wherein rotation of a relatively massive bobbin package is commenced and terminated quite abruptly, due to the large torque forces which must be transmitted through the bobbin support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides, in a textile spindle assembly of the type described, a bobbin support which is of exceedingly durable and economical construction, which is capable of precise positional adjustmentaxially of the spindle blade, and which during operation of the assembly will not slip even when subjected to large torque forces. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the torque forces between the bobbin and spindle blade are transmitted through an annular member connected by a spline or similar radial connection to the blade for positive rotary movement with the blade and for adjustive axial movement relative to it. A second and underlying annular member, which is connected by a screw-thread connection to the blade, adjustively positions the splined member in any desired one of an infinite number of possible axial locations, but is not itself subjected during operation of the assembly to the large torque forces tending to cause slippage. Removable bolt elements releasably secure the annular members in fixed relationship to each other during operation of the assembly, and flexible seal means is preferably provided between the confronting surfaces of the members to reduce the possibility of fretting corrosion at their interface.

Other features and advantages will be in part evident and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a textile spindle assembly including a bobbin support constructed in accordance with the invention, the assembly being mounted upon a spindle rail shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the assembly and bobbin support of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, partially in elevation, taken generally along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 through the bobbin support.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the spindle assembly identified in its entirety in FIG. 1 by the number 10 generally includes a central housing 12 adapted to be secured to the spindle rail 14 of a spinning or twisting machine (not shown) and mounting a spindle blade 16 at one end and a driven whirl (whorl) 18 at the other end for rotation of said assembly about its aligned vertical axes above and below rail 14 respectively. Assembly 10 also includes a bobbin support of the invention generally designated 20, carried by and encircling blade 16 above housing 12 and rail 14, for the purpose of supporting and drivingly engaging the lower or base end of a bobbin (not shown) mounted upon blade 16 during operation of assembly 10. An electromagnetic clutch mechanism 22 carried by housing 12 beneath rail 14 is selectively actuable to couple blade 16 to either driven whirl 18, for rotation therewith, or to brake element (not shown, but included within mechanism 22) for stopping rotation of blade 16.

With the exception of bobbin support 20, to be subsequently described, the foregoing components of spindle assembly 10 form no part of the present invention per se, and may for example, be of the known construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,670. It will be appreciated that, in particular, when the spindle assembly is of a construction adapted, during the winding of relatively massive bobbin packages, to start and stop rotation of blade 16 relatively abruptly by selective energization of clutch mechanism 22 or other equivalent means, support 20 interconnecting blade 16 and a bobbin mounted thereon must be so constructed as to be capable of repeatedly withstanding large torque forces without slippage, while at the same time desirably possessing the capability for precise positional adjustment axially of blade 16 for'the purpose of achieving a precise desired elevation of the bobbin mounted upon the blade.

Referring now to all of the FIGS. bobbin support 20 generally comprises engaging and supporting means including an interiorly splined upper annular member 24 adapted to drivingly engage and support the base end of a bobbin mounted upon blade 16, positioning means of support 20 including a rotatable threaded lower member 26 for adjustively positioning member 24and a bobbin supported thereby in a desired location axially of the blade 16, interconnecting means including a threaded and splined collar 28 fixed to blade 16 interconnecting the annular members 24, 26 and blade 16, and detachable means including the bolts 30 for releasably securing members 24, 26 in a fixed position relative to each other and thus to collar 28.

As is best shown in FIG. 3, fixed collar 28 is heat shrunk or otherwise rigidly secured about the lower portion of spindle blade 16, so as to form or constitute an integral part thereof, and has upper or splined and lower or threaded portions 32, 36 of smaller and larger external diameter, respectively. Portions 32, 36 may be separated by a recess 33 extending about and within the medial portion of collar 28, as shown, or alternatively portions 32, 36 may merge directly with one another such as in a solid machined casting. Upper collar portion 32 is provided upon its outer cylindrical surface with a plurality of splines, serrations or equivalent positioning members extending both generally radially outwardly from and also parallel to the coincident axes of collar 28 and blade 16, while lower collar portion 36 is provided upon its exterior cylindrical surface with a continuous screw thread extending thereabout between its upper and lower faces for positioning support 20 axially of blade 16. Annular member 24 of support 20 encircles upper collar portion 32 (FIG. 2 and 3) and has a splined interior surface 31 mating with the splined exterior surface 29 of collar 28 portion 32 such that member 24 is positively interconnected thereby with collar 28 and blade 16 for unitary rotary movement therewith but is also freely capable of axial adjustive movement up or down relative to collar 28 and blade. Vertical axial adjustment of the position of member 24 varies the elevation of a bobbin mounted upon blade 16 having its base end supported by the upper surface of member 24, which upper surface is provided with a lug means comprising, for example, a pair of circumferentially spaced lugs 38 or other suitable elements extending upwardly therefrom for reception within the mating recesses customarily provided at the base end of the bobbins to establish a driving connection with the bobbin support means.

Lower annular member 26, which underlies upper member 24 in encircling relationship to exteriorly threaded annular collar portion 36 of fixed collar 28, is connected by a mating screw thread to upper member 24, said thread provided along the interior surfaces thereof. By virtue of the screw-thread connection between member 26 and fixed portion 36, rotation of member 26 relative to collar 28 moves member 26 axially of blade 16 in either an upward or downward direction, depending upon the direction of rotation. This results in corresponding axial positioning of upper. annular member 24, inasmuch as the same is joined to and rests upon member 26. At the confronting surfaces of members 24, 26, a rubber washer 40 or other flexible means is provided to reduce vibratory movement therebetween and thus the possibility of fretting occurring between said members.

Bolts 30 received within aligned and threaded bores through annular member 24 and within annular member 26 releasably secure members 24, 26 in fixed relationship to each other during operation of assembly 10. When bolts 30 are in place (see FIG. 3), the tops of their heads are disposed level with or below the upper surface of annular member 24 so as not to engage the base end of a bobbin supported upon such surface.

Adjustment of the elevation of a bobbin supported by the present construction can quickly and easily be made by removing bolts 30, and then rotating annular member 26 relative to collar 28 an appropriate amount in the proper direction to either raise or lower members 24, 26 to the desired elevation. Any desired elevation can be precisely attained, so long as the spline and screw-thread connections between collar 28 and both members 24, 26 are maintained. lf, when the desired elevation has been reached, the bolt bores provided within members 24, 26 are not in alignment, upper member 24 may be raised from collar portion 32, rotated to whatever extent might be necessary to align the bores of members 24, 26 and then again be lowered onto splined collar portion 32 and member 26. Upon reinsertion and tightening of bolts 30, assembly is then again ready for operation.

During such operation, virtually all of the starting, driving and stopping torque forces imparted from blade 16 to a bobbin mounted thereon are transmitted through upper annular member 24 and its positive spline connection with upper portion 32 of collar 28. Since little or no driving or stopping torque is transmitted thereby through lower annular member 26, any slight tendency which member 26 might have to rotate relative to collar 28 during operation of assembly 10 is completely negated by the presence of bolts 30 and flexible washer 40. The presence of bolts 30 similarly negates the possibility of inadvertent upward displacement of annular member 24 during operation of assembly 10.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, this was for purposes of illustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being in accordance with the claims which follow.

Iclaim:

1. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising:

bobbin-engaging and support means extending radially outwardly from the lower portion of said blade for support of an engagement with the end of a bobbin mounted thereon;

interconnecting means radially extending outwardly of the axis of said blade, carried in part by said bobbin support means and in part by said blade, for interconnecting the same for unitary rotary movement and for adjustive axial movement of said support means relative to said blade; and

positioning means carried by said blade for moving said bobbin support means to a desired position of adjustment axially of said blade and for releasably maintaining said bobbin support means in said position.

2. A bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said engaging and support means includes an annular member encircling said blade for supporting said bobbin end and having lug means extending upwardly from its upper surface for engagement with a bobbin mounted upon said blade.

3. A bobbin support as in claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means includes mating splines extending radially from said annular member and from said blade.

4. An adjustable bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said engaging and support means includes a first annular member encircling said blade and adapted to support a bobbin upon its upper surface, said positioning means includes a second annular member underlying said first annular member and screw threaded upon said blade in encircling concentric relationship thereto for adjustive rotary movement relative to both said blade and said first annular member, and further includes detachable means for releasably securing said annular members in fixed relationship to each other.

5. A bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said positioning means includes an interiorally threaded annular member encircling said blade and rotatable relative thereto for varying its position axially of said blade, said annular member underlying and supporting said bobbin-engaging and support means.

6. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising;

a pair of superposed annular members encircling said blade adjacent its lower portion;

spline means carried in part by one of said members and in part by said blade and interconnecting the same for unitary rotary movement and for adjustive movement of said one member axially of said blade;

screw-thread means carried in part by the other of said members and in part by said blade and interconnecting the same for rotary adjustive movement of said other member relative to said blade, said rotary adjustive movement shifting said other member axially of said blade; and

detachable means releasably interconnecting said members and securing the same in a fixed position of adjustment relative to each other and to said blade.

7. A bobbin support as in claim 6, wherein said members have adjacent upper and lower surfaces adapted to abut one another, and further including flexible means disposed between said members at said surfaces thereof.

8. A bobbin support as in claim 6, wherein said detachable means includes a plurality of bolt elements carried by and releasably interconnecting said members.

9. A bobbin support as in claim 6, including collar means carried by and fixedly secured to said blade, said spline means and said screw-thread means carried by said blade being integral with axially spaced outer surface portions of said collar means.

10. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising:

a collar encircling the lower portion of said blade and secured rigidly thereto for rotation therewith, said collar having along its exterior surface a splined upper portion and a screw-threaded lower portion;

threaded member underlying and supporting said interiorly splined member whereby the position of both of said members axially of said blade is varied by said rotary adjustive movement of said threaded member; and

detachable bolt means releasably interconnecting said members for locking the same in fixed rotary and axial relationship relative to each other and to said blade for unitary rotary motion during operation of said spindle assembly.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 a 577 a 723 Dated 4 1971 Inventor) John D. Page It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet "Attorney-Donald H. Feldman" should read Agent-Donald H. Feldman Signed and sealed this 17th day of August 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising: bobbin-engaging and support means extending radially outwardly from the lower portion of said blade for support of an engagement with the end of a bobbin mounted thereon; interconnecting means radially extending outwardly of the axis of said blade, carried in part by said bobbin support means and in part by said blade, for interconnecting the same for unitary rotary movement and for adjustive axial movement of said support means relative to said blade; and positioning means carried by said blade for moving said bobbin support means to a desired position of adjustment axially of said blade and for releasably maintaining said bobbin support means in said position.
 2. A bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said engaging and support means includes an annular member encircling said blade for supporting said bobbin end and having lug means extending upwardly from its upper surface for engagement with a bobbin mounted upon said blade.
 3. A bobbin support as in claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means includes mating splines extending radially from said annular member and from said blade.
 4. An adjustable bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said engaging and support means includes a first annular member encircling said blade and adapted to support a bobbin upon its upper surface, said positioning means includes a second annular member underlying said first annular member and screw threaded upon said blade in encircling concentric relationship thereto for adjustive rotary movement relative to both said blade and said first annular member, and further includes detachable means for releasably securing said annular members in fixed relationship to each other.
 5. A bobbin support as in claim 1, wherein said positioning means includes an interiorally threaded annular member encircling said blade and rotatable relative thereto for varying its position axially of said blade, said annular member underlying and supporting said bobbin-engaging and support means.
 6. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising: a pair of superposed annular members encircling said blade adjacent its lower portion; spline means carried in part by one of said members and in part by said blade and interconnecting the same for unitary rotary movement and for adjustive movement of said one member axially of said blade; screw-thread means carried in part by the other of said members and in part by said blade and interconnecting the same for rotary adjustive movement of said other member relative to said blade, said rotary adjustive movement shifting said other member axially of said blade; and detachable means releasably interconnecting said members and securing the same in a fixed position of adjustment relative to each other and to said blade.
 7. A bobbin support as in claim 6, wherein said members have adjacent upper and lower surfaces adapted to abut one another, and further including flexible means disposed between said members at said surfaces thereof.
 8. A bobbin support as in claim 6, wherein said detachable means includes a plurality of bolt elements carried by and releasably interconnecting said members.
 9. A bobbin support as in claim 6, including collar means carried by and fixedly secured to said blade, said spline means and said screw-thread means carried by said blade being integral with axially spaced outer surface portions of said collar means.
 10. An adjustable bobbin support for a textile spindle assembly having an elongate upright blade mounted for rotation about its axis, comprising: a collar encircling the lower portion of said blade and secured rigidly thereto for rotation therewith, said collar having along its exterior surface a splined upper portion and a screw-threaded lower portion; an interiorally splined annular member matingly encircling said upper portion of said collar for unitary rotation with said blade and for axial adjustive movement of said annular member relative to said blade, said member having a plurality of bobbin engaging lugs extending upwardly from its upper surface for engagement with a bobbin mounted upon said blade; an interiorally threaded annular member matingly encircling said lower portion of said collar for rotary adjustive movement relative to said collar and said blade, said threaded member underlying and supporting said interiorly splined member whereby the position of both of said members axially of said blade is varied by said rotary adjustive movement of said threaded member; and detachable bolt means releasably interconnecting said members for locking the same in fixed rotary and axial relationship relative to each other and to said blade for unitary rotary motion during operation of said spindle assembly. 